Research Assistant #T00544

Employees will assist with research on the federally endangered dusky gopher frog, Rana sevosa.

Duties include:

• Capturing and caring for gopher frogs and species that interact with gopher frogs (including other amphibians, tortoises, snakes, rodents, fishes, insects, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and plants) in the field and in outdoor and indoor research facilities.
• Measuring, weighing, marking, and identifying (by species and marking codes) frogs and other experimental animals.
• Conducting field and laboratory experiments with gopher frogs and other species under the direction of WCU faculty and graduate students.
• Accurately recording data onto data sheets and subsequently entering the data into computer spread sheets.
• Constructing and maintaining experimental facilities in the field and laboratory, including field enclosures for frogs, artificial ponds (in cattle watering tanks), aquaria, laboratory cages, and specialized experimental apparatuses.
• Operating U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WCU , and private vehicles for travel to research sites.
• Summarizing research data into tables, figures, and narratives, and conducting statistical analyses of these data.
• Writing reports and giving oral presentations summarizing research activities, results, and data for use by funding and permitting agencies and other interested parties. Contribute to writing publications on research results for scientific journals.

Employees must be able to work independently with minimal supervision at a remote field site in the DeSoto National Forest in southern Mississippi, be extremely meticulous, careful, and responsible, be good with animals, and be willing to work under hot, cold, humid, rainy, or buggy conditions during daytime, nighttime, weekdays, and weekends.

The ideal candidate has at least a

B. S. degree in biological sciences or equivalent combination of education and experience.

The ideal candidate has at least a

B. S. degree in biological sciences and a strong interest and experience in conservation biology, ecology, and herpetology.

Open Date 12/03/2021

Close Date 12/31/2026

Open Until Filled No

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Western Carolina University uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify . Proper documentation of identity and employability are required at the time of employment.

All new employees are required to have listed credentials/degrees verified within 30 days of employment. All new employees who will be teaching are required to provide official transcripts within 30 days of employment. Transcripts should be provided for the highest earned degree and/or the degree which is being used to satisfy credential/qualification requirements.

Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; ethnicity; religion; sex; pregnancy; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation;
National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call  or email .

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• Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial Transcripts
• Cover Letter/Letter of Application
• List of references

• DD-214

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
  • Inside Higher Ed
  • HERC
    - Higher Education Recruitment Consortium
  • Website
    - Jobs.wcu.edu
  • Personal Referral
  • Agency Referral
  • Other
• * Are you currently enrolled in 6 or more credit hours?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Are you currently enrolled as a student at WCU?
  • Yes
  • No